The Meaning of chūko [中古] In Japanese

中古
ちゅうこ
Romaji: chūko N5

What does 中古 mean?

Translation and Meaning

secondhand, used goods

Definition

In common usage, 中古 designates goods that have been previously owned or used, i.e., secondhand or pre-owned items, rather than new ones.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Used or pre-owned status for items, frequently appearing in contexts like 中古品 and 中古車 to indicate non-new condition.

Composition

  • 中 middle, center
  • 古 old, former
  • Together they form a sense of something that is not new, i.e., previously owned, hence secondhand goods.

Usage

Primarily used in retail, classifieds, and product descriptions to label pre-owned items; it functions as a noun or as a modifier with の, and is common in both written and spoken Japanese when discussing the condition of goods.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine the two characters forming a boundary between ‘old’ and ‘new’ to signal that the item has circulated before reaching you.

Variations

  • 中古品 chuuko-hin: secondhand goods
  • 中古車 chuuko-sha: used car
  • リサイクル品 risakairu-hin: recycled goods

Example Phrases

  • 中古のスマホを 買って、 今は 写真を 楽しんでいます。
    Chūko no sumaho o katte, ima wa shashin o tanoshindeimasu.
    I bought a used smartphone and am now enjoying photography.
    Lista:
    • 中古のスマホを (Chūko no sumaho o) – a used smartphone
    • 買って、 (katte,) – buying
    • 今は (ima wa) – now
    • 写真を (shashin o) – photos
    • 楽しんでいます。 (tanoshindeimasu.) – enjoying
    The word 「中古」 means ‘used/secondhand’; here it modifies the noun スマホ to form the phrase 「中古のスマホ」 meaning ‘a used smartphone’.
中古